


Dream a Little Dream of Me

by nea1891



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Mileven, Multi, alternative universe, mike is a single dad, stranger things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-17 20:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12373035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nea1891/pseuds/nea1891
Summary: 10 years ago a 12 year old Will Byers disappeared. With the help of a young girl, and his best friend Mike, Will was able to return home. Mike, now an adult, is raising his four year old daughter and holding a secret. Eleven comes to him in his dreams. What will life be like once he meets Eleven in the conscious world?





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic on this site; I have taken about a two-year break from publishing any fics, however I have been very inspired by Stranger Things as of late. The countdown to Season Two is so close!!
> 
> I appreciate any and all feedback. I just love to write, and once this story came to me I couldn't get it out of my head. It is technically an alternate universe, taking place in the Stranger Things time line, meaning flashbacks take place in 1983, the 'present' timeline is 1993. 
> 
> The majority of main characters appear, and the storyline is loosely based around the basic concepts of Stranger Things. Will disappears in this one, Mileven is a huge component etc. but the only sci-fi elements are based on Eleven's powers. No Upside Down. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Mike awoke with a startle. Bright light filled his room with a bluish-grey glow. He sat upright, wiping his eyes; not the least surprised to find little sleep in them. He had barely fallen unconscious before the storm outside his window woke him. A piercingly loud thunder clap, the kind that vibrates your head with a slow buzz, followed the light and he decided as long as he was awake he would check on Riley.

He stumbled out of his room, his lack of sleep leaving his legs like jello. He gathered his balance against the frame of his bedroom door and paused, closing his eyes, listening to the rain as it sped up. Listening to the drops fall upon the roof with increasing frequency. He took in a deep breath, trying his best to calm his anxiety. It wasn’t the storm that was creating a bubbling of nerves to fill his belly; rather the darkness that engulfed his slumber for the past week.

He shook his head, trying his best to clear it. _Riley. Right, she hated storms_. He didn’t know if he should be worried or grateful that she had yet to sprint into his room and crash into his bed in a heap of wailing sobs.

He tiptoed down the hallway, even though the noise of the storm covered any creaking steps he was taking. He reached Riley’s bedroom door and slowly peered in. She was fast asleep, slightly snoring. The lightning flashed again and almost lit a halo above her head. Mike sighed. The sight of his beautiful daughter was one of the few things in the world to give him peace. She was too perfect. He didn’t think he would ever understand what he did to deserve her.

Riley stirred, and rolled onto her side. Mike took this as his cue to leave, not wanting to disturb her at such an early hour. Resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep, Mike walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. It was pretty scarce. With his parents out of town for their thirtieth wedding anniversary he was ashamed to admit to himself that he had forgotten to go grocery shopping. His mother’s pestering, while often making him feel like he was 12 years old again, was a life-saver. He still had so much to learn, and so little time to do it.

He reached in and grabbed an apple juice container, chugging the last bit of it. He closed the fridge and rubbed his hands across his face. It was too early for coffee. Then again, he wasn’t going to go back to sleep anytime soon, so what was the harm? He flicked on the light above the stove, and grabbed the coffee grounds from an upper cabinet. He slowly and methodically began to scoop the grounds into the coffee machine when he heard a floorboard creek between thunder claps.

“Daddy?” Mike whipped around to see Riley gripping her blue knit blanket to her chest, her eyes wide and her long blonde hair sticking up around her ears.

“Hey baby girl. What are you doing up at…” Mike looked at the clock hung over the kitchen sink. “3:42 am? The world should be asleep at this time.”

“You’re not asleep.” Riley whispered through a yawn.

“You caught me.” Mike said, putting the coffee can down on the counter and walking around the kitchen table to bend down to Riley’s height as she stood at the end of the hallway. “Storm wake you up?”

Riley shook her head no. “The pretty woman told me you were scared.”

Mike looked at Riley with confusion. “What pretty woman? Did you have a dream?”

“She talked to me; she told me not to be scared of the storm, and that you would want my com...company. She said you were scared.  She said…she said she didn’t want to…that she couldn’t tell you…I don’t remember.” Riley said, blinking her eyes and falling closer to Mike. He picked her up and she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Well, I’m not scared, but even if I was, I am happy that the nice lady in your dreams knew you would help me. “ Riley nodded her head, burying it deeper into Mike. He smiled and held her a little tighter.

“How about we try to go back to sleep? This storm is no match for a tired Miss Wheeler.” Mike carried Riley back into her room and laid her gently onto the bed. She was almost back to sleep. He fell to his knees and began to softly stroke her hair.

“Daddy?” She mumbled.

“Yes, baby?” Mike whispered back.

“The pretty lady didn’t have any hair. Kind of like Mrs. Perkins when she was sick. But she was still very pretty. Really pretty.” She said, as slumber finally overtook her.

Mike stood up quickly, and started rubbing the back of his neck, like he always did when his nerves overtook him like a quick bout of food poisoning, rumbling in his stomach and making him queasy.

No. He thought. Kids dreamt of all kinds of things. It couldn’t be her. Why would she talk to Riley, and not him? She hadn’t come to him in almost a week. She had to know that he was worried.

Then he remembered what Riley had said. That the pretty woman knew Mike was ‘scared.’ He was scared, just not of the storm. But of what might have happened, why she hadn’t been coming to him. She had visited his dreams every night, coming on five years now and then she had suddenly…vanished. It had driven him to near catatonia, plaguing him with insomnia, a constant feeling of falling off the edge. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on work, the house was a mess. Besides Riley, his thoughts of late had been consumed with her, where she could be, if she was alright.

He quickly left Riley’s room and went to the living room, falling onto the couch. He stared out the picture window at the dying storm as it slowly faded into the night sky. “Why would she come to Riley?” He said out-loud. Despite it confusing him, a part of him hoped that she had. At least then, he knew she was alive. Or maybe not. Maybe she was coming to Riley now because she didn’t want to tell Mike the truth, that she was hurt or worse…dead. No. He told himself. No. It was just a dream, a child’s dream. It couldn’t have been her. It couldn’t have been El.

 

* * *

 

Hopper shook out his umbrella as he walked into the station. The storm was passing, but the night was still pitch dark. The station was dead quiet; the only noise a low hum from the break room refrigerator. He wasn’t sure why he had decided to come into the station this early. Something in him had led him, a force he couldn’t shake, to awaken at 4 in the morning with the need to finish a report from the night previous. He had busted a couple kids, Holly Wheeler and two young boys, drinking in the town park. He had decided to let them off with a warning, as between the three of them they were sharing one and a half beers. They had ridden their bikes under the cover of dusk, aiming to get away with what all teenagers hope to at some point, and despite their sheer terror at being discovered by the Chief of Police, had been very polite and understanding. He let them off with a warning, but told them he would write up a report in case they were ever stupid enough to get caught again.

He had been surprised to see Holly there; she came from such a good family. Despite having a kid at 17, her older brother had never been in trouble in his life, save for that fall when he and his mischievous friends had defied Hopper’s orders in search of their missing member Will Byers. Hopper had found them in the woods the night after Will disappeared, soaked to the bone, flashlight and backpack of sugary snacks at the ready.

_“Will needs us!” Mike had squealed, as Hopper dragged him to his police car._

_“Yeah, yeah. I know. But we don’t need four missing kids. The whole town will really have my ass then.”  Hopper had said._

Hopper tried to push that memory out of his mind as he sat down at his desk, fresh cup of coffee in hand. That had been a trying time for Hawkins. The Byers boy had been missing two agonizing weeks when he suddenly appeared exactly where Hopper had found Mike and the other boys that first night. Mike had led him, after demanding his parents take him to the police station to all but scream to Hopper Will’s whereabouts. Hopper had never questioned exactly how the kid knew where his friend would be, or that he would be there then. No one questioned it really; especially Joyce and Johnathan Byers, who were just grateful to have their son and brother back.

Will hadn’t much to say about what had happened to him; not that he hadn’t wanted to. He just didn’t know much. He simply had said that he had been taken by a tall man with silver hair. That he had been kept locked in a small, windowless room. And that another kid had been there too; a young girl with a meek voice and no hair. He told Hopper that this girl, that she helped him escape but he never went into detail exactly how. He didn’t seem to truly remember. Hopper could tell that Will had felt guilty for leaving this girl behind and at the time didn’t push it much.

Hopper had sent out a search party to canvas the woods for weeks after Will’s return. He searched almost every house in Hawkins, determined to find the son of a bitch who appeared to be kidnapping children. But no one in Hawkins, besides Joyce of course, had had a child gone missing. Nor had anyone in the surrounding three towns. Hopper had little to go on, and after a while the rest of Hawkins seemed content with that. Will was back, and all slipped back to normal. But Hopper hadn’t been able to shake the whole thing. He would often go back to that spot in the woods, searching. For what, or who, he wasn’t really sure.

Will never spoke of it, even after he joined the force as Hopper’s right hand man. He wanted to be a cop too, he had said, to save people, ‘like you saved me Hop.” Hopper always found that to be bullshit; he hadn’t done much to save the young boy. But he admired Will’s respect of him all the same. He often thought that Will, underneath his quiet demeanor, harbored deep unresolved anger over what had happened to him. What became of the girl with no hair. But whenever Hopper would mention her, Will would clam up. Hopper didn’t particularly blame the kid; hell he wouldn’t want to revisit that horror either. But it haunted him. He was always wondering where that bastard was, if he had hurt more children. Hopper would at times wonder if he could have done more to save this girl too.

He took another long sip of his coffee and started to write the rest of his report. He had only scratched the date at the top of the page when he heard a loud bang on the station’s front door. He jumped up. Another bang. Suddenly it was like rapid fire, fists pounding on both sides of the double door. Almost as if someone was punching a boxing bag over and over again, using both fists to give it their all. He slowly got up and put his hand on his left hip, fingering his gun. He figured it was probably some kids messing with him, or a drunk lost stumbling home. He turned the corner and flicked on the light that illuminated the front of the building.

Standing there was a small, thin young woman wearing baggy grey sweatpants and a dark blue sweatshirt. She had a thin layer of hair, a buzz cut. Her eyes were sunken and water from the storm dripped from her eyes like tears. Maybe that’s what they were.

Hopper quickly unlocked the door and came face to face with her. She looked down at her feet.

Whispering so quietly Hopper had to lean in close to understand her, the girl said “I need Will. Will Byers.”

* * *

 

Mike awoke to the sound of Bugs Bunny’s iconic ‘Whats up Doc?’ followed by a rolling giggle. He opened his eyes in slits to see Riley sitting directly in front of the television, a box of cookies at her feet.

“Morning missy. Why are you eating cookies for breakfast?” Mike asked.

Riley jumped and turned around, a smirk on her face.

“Because it was the only good foods in the house. We have to grocery shop.” She said as she stuffed another cookie in her mouth.

“Well. Fair enough.” Mike said as he stood and stretched his arms. He glanced at the clock. 11:10. He had slept a while, longer than he thought he would. Suddenly he remembered, Riley’s pretty lady. He had so many questions for the little girl, but before he could ask the phone rang.

* * *

 

Will answered the door on the third knock. Mike stood there, with Riley by his side, a look of purse desperation on his face.

“Hey dude. I’m sorry I didn’t call first…I’m kind of in a jam.”

“Hi Uncle Will!” Riley exclaimed, waving.

“Hi Riley. What kind of jam?” He asked pointedly of Mike. Mike let go of Riley’s hand and clasped both of his together.

“One that only the Wise Will Byers can help me with.” Will rolled his eyes.

“Come in.” Mike smiled wide, ushering Riley inside. She immediately ran to the living room and turned on the TV set.

“My mom isn’t home, so I don’t know if now is the best time.” Will trailed as Mike turned around to face him, almost pinning Will against the door.

“I know man, and I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t an emergency. My parents are out of town, and you know with Nancy gone it’s hard to find a sitter.”

“Mike. I want to help, really. But I’m kind of busy today.”

“With what? It’s Saturday. You don’t work Saturdays. Wait…do you have a date or something? I could see if Dustin and Max could help out, but they’ve been busy with their new house and stuff.”

“No, I don’t have to work. Its…personal stuff.”

“So it is a date?” Mike smirked. “Who with?”

“It’s not a date Mike. But what kind of emergency; I’ll see if I can cut you the slack.”

Mike grinned. “Thank you so much Will. Really. They asked me if I could pick up another shift, and I could really use the cash, with Riley’s birthday coming up and her starting school in the fall. I want to make sure I can get her everything she needs, you know? She keeps asking for this one dress every time we go by that store on Main St. I can’t disappoint her.”

“Mike, you know that my mom would help you out. She loves Riley. Me too; you work too much as it is.”

“I appreciate that Will…but I need to do this. I have to take care of my family myself.”

Will nodded in understanding. Mike smiled again and started around Will toward the door. “I really appreciate this Will, I shouldn’t be long past eight tonight.”

Will grabbed Mike’s arm before he could reach the door knob. “Ok, but before you go…there is something I have to tell you. I mean, what with you leaving Riley here today and all.”

“Ok…” Mike said, staring at Will in anticipation.

“Daddy!!” Riley suddenly cried and Mike stepped around Will toward her.

“Daddy! Look! It’s the pretty lady!” Mike followed Riley’s pointed finger toward the hallway.  And suddenly there she was. Standing right in front of him. In the flesh. Outside his dreams; she was real.

“El?!”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re not alone now.” He had said; a young boy’s attempts to ease the terror of the situation they had been in. He repeated himself now. “You’re not alone now, El. You haven’t been since the day I met you. I always hoped one day you would be found. You’ll never be alone again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More background on Will's disappearance and a tiny bit of Mileven to hold you over! Thank you for the kind words; I am glad you guys are intrigued with the story :)
> 
> Flashbacks are in italics.

_“You’re not alone now.” Will said, as El’s tears stained his shirt, gripping wads of it in her fist. She suddenly pulled back, gently pushing his arms off of her._

_“No.” She said very quietly._

_“You don’t want me to hug you?” Will asked. “Ok.” Will let her go and backed away slightly to give her space. “Do you…do you know what a hug is?”_

_Will had gathered in the past few days that this girl, Eleven, she called herself, after the small tattoo on her left forearm, hadn’t had much interaction with…well, anyone. He hadn’t asked her yet how long she had been in this room, with its fading concrete walls and stale smell. But he figured it had to have been a long, long time due to the paleness of her skin and swollen eyes, as if she had been crying…well, all of her life. He tried to shake the increasingly overwhelming fear. He was scared, no downright petrified. He missed his mother and Johnathan. He missed his friends. He wanted to be home, damn it!_

_But this girl…she didn’t know what Dungeons and Dragons was, which Will could have easily brushed off if she had known what year it was. But she didn’t even know what a year was. That was a pretty big red flag. Just from the brief anecdotes he had shared with her regarding where he came from, Will was utterly astonished at how little this girl seemed to understand._

_He had been riding his bike home, just like he always did, after a night spent slaying monsters with Mike, Dustin and Lucas. He always took the path of Mirkwood, named after one of their favorite tales ‘Lord of the Rings’. He was about a quarter mile from his house when a flashing light had caught his eye near the side of the road, slightly beyond the tree line. Before he could even register what it could be, or if he should stop to investigate, his bike popped a tire, spinning out along the gravel shoulder._

_His bike fell on him, luckily it was a fairly small bike for a small boy, and he was able to lift it off with no harm done. He stood his bike up and put out the kickstand, leaning down to see in the faint moonlight what could have punctured his tire. His eyes followed the curve of his front tire, focused intently, when a hand unexpectedly fell on his shoulder, then arms were gripping him in a bear-hug from behind, squeezing him, dragging him, pebbles flicking up and hitting his exposed ankles as he began kicking fiercely. He started screaming, craning his neck as far as he could to see a dark figure with silver hair pulling him towards the woods. Once the man had pulled him deep enough into the thick forest, out of sight of the road, he had pulled out a damp washcloth._

_Will had tried to fight it, had wiggled and flailed, dug his heels into the dirt trying desperately to pull himself from the tight grasp. But he was just no match for this man, who by all means wasn’t a large man, but a tall one, and certainly much stronger than Will Byers._

_But it had been no use. The damp cloth found its way to Will’s face, closing in around his nose and mouth._

_And then he had woken up in this room, about the size of his science classroom, with bare, grey walls and a temperature cold enough to cause a shiver now and then. There were no windows, only a small door, which was also windowless. A single lamp hung from the center of the room, and it barely illuminated his surroundings._

_But it was just bright enough to make out the inquisitive stares of Eleven, once he came-to. She was huddled in a back corner of the room. The first thought Will had was why this girl was curled onto the floor when a single bed had bordered the wall opposite her?  But the thought left his mind quickly to make room for sheer panic._

_Where was he?! What had happened?! Where was his mom? Or Johnathan? He had stood up, bouncing really, and began to run around the room frantically, running his fingers along each wall of the room, not quite sure what he was hoping to discover. Eleven’s gaze remained fixed on him, her knees tucked into her chest. Will continued to circle the room, stopping at the door after the eighth go-around. He began to pound on it furiously._

_“Let me out!” He had screamed, with such ferocity he instantly went hoarse. “Let me out of here!”_

_Eleven started crawling toward him then, continuing to remain silent._

_“Please! I want to go home!!” Will pounded against the door until his fists went numb, and even then didn’t stop. Eleven was slowly making her way toward him, and was about five feet away when Will fell to his knees in exhaustion._

_He began to weep deep guttural sobs, inhaling gallon breathes at a time, not bothering to wipe the salty water falling down his face or the snot dripping from his nose. He cried until his body couldn’t produce any more tears, until his cheeks hurt and the corners of his eyes were crinkled and raw._

_Eleven had never taken her eyes off of him. When Will’s cries began to die down and his head fell into his chest, she scooted along the floor close enough to reach out a hand and tentatively touch him. Will’s head snapped up and she brought her hand back as if she had touched a hot plate._

_“I’m sorry.” Will said, finally wiping his nose on his sleeve. “Where are we?”_

_Eleven had simply blinked at him, unsure of exactly what he meant. They were…here. In her room. What else was there?_

_“I’m…W…i…ll. Will.” He said, stuttering between gasps for air._

_She pulled up the sleeve of her baggy sweatshirt and revealed her tattoo. She pointed to herself._

_“Eleven…is that your name?”_

_She had simply stared at him in response._

_“I’m happy I’m not alone.” He had said._

* * *

 

“El?” Mike said again, blinking rapidly. He was frozen, his body shaking in sheer disbelief. She was right there, a mere five feet away from him, staring at him with the eyes of a feral cat. Will walked in front of Mike so he was standing between the two of them. Riley ran over to Mike and began tugging on his jeans.

“Daddy! That’s her. I told you she was pretty.”

“Mike, what is she talking about?” Will asked, switching his gaze from a stoic Mike and a frightened El.

Mike swallowed the lump in his throat, which was suddenly incredibly parched. Riley kept tugging on him, and he finally looked down to her.

“I see her Riley.” He said.

“Mike…are you ok? Um...I know that it’s confusing, but you remember her? Right? Eleven…” He trailed off, realizing that Mike had called her El. Will could not recall ever referring to the girl by a nick name. “You remember from when she came to you. When she…when you helped find me?”

Mike nodded furiously. He didn’t know what to say, and El was just standing there in dead silence. Riley, despite Mike’s acknowledgement, kept tugging on him, clearly excited to see the woman from her dreams in real life. Mike had never told Will about El. Had never once mentioned it, that she had continued to come to him long after he had been found. That he and El…that they knew one another quite well. Originally he had kept it a secret because he simply hadn't believed it. He thought he was crazy for dreaming of her, over and over again. But then, once he realized she was real, he kept it secret so it could stay his. He liked having someone to just be with who didn't judge, or know what other people knew about him. As time past, he had wanted to tell Will, tell anybody if it meant keeping El safe, but she had made him promise not to.

Now, as he stared at her, trying to take in each feature of her porcelain face, he had no idea how to explain to Will that the woman standing in front of them was the most important person in his life, save Riley;even though he had never truly met her in the sense of reality, never touched her. She looked so much more beautiful outside the haze of his dreams, something he would have thought impossible. Her eyes dark gems, like tinted glass. He was engrossed in them, and could swear he saw the hint of a smile on her otherwise terrified face.

“Yeah…I remember. I....” He couldn’t hold back any longer. He pulled himself away from Riley’s grasp and was to El in a few quick strides. He brought his hands up to gently grip her shoulders, staring at her, staring into her. She looked up to him.

“Mike.” She said quietly.

And he pulled her into his arms, holding onto her like a drowning man would a life raft. She was real; he could feel the weight of her, feel the fabric of her sweatshirt on his fingertips. Hear her breathing and the rise and fall of her chest. She was real. El's arms remained at her side, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t used to being held in such a way. It felt strange, foreign, yet oddly warm and safe. She slowly brought her arms up to loosely hug Mike back.

“Mike…” Will said, worry tainting his voice. “Mike…what are you doing?”

“Right.” Mike said pulling back, realizing how inappropriate that must be, how uncomfortable that had made El. “I’m sorry El…I’m just so, I can’t believe you’re here. You’re really here.”

“It’s ok Mike.” She said. “I understand.”

“Ok…seriously, Mike. What is going on? I know that you were thankful to Eleven for saving me, but…that was 10 years ago. I…what aren’t you telling me?”

“Mike and I are friends.” El said simply, stating a fact.

Mike smiled and turned to Will. Riley had made her way across the room by now, standing at her father’s feet, staring up at El with intense curiosity

“Um…I suppose we should sit down and I can explain…fuck!”

“Daddy! You owe me a penny!” Riley said excitedly.

“I’m sorry baby, I’m just…I have to go into work.” He turned back to El and gently cupped her face. “You’ll be here when I get back, right?”

She nodded slowly. “Promise.” She whispered.

He smiled again and then turned to Will.

“I swear I will explain everything when I get back; El might want to talk to you too. I really appreciate your help Will. Is El…are you guys, are you safe?”

“Yeah. Hopper should be back here in a few hours. As far as Eleven believes, no one is looking for her. I promise I’ll call you if anything changes. And you better lay it all out for me when you get back.”

Mike nodded and bent down to Riley.

“Ok Miss Wheeler, be good for your uncle Will. And El.”

“The pretty woman.” Riley corrected.

“Yeah…the pretty woman. She has heard so much about you, I’m sure she is excited to finally meet you.” He kissed Riley’s nose and then stood up to face El again.

“I’m so happy you’re here. I thought…something must have happened. I was afraid I would never see you again.”

“I knew you were scared, but I’m here. You saved me.” She whispered.

Mike shook his head. “No El, you did that yourself.”

She smiled and Mike begrudgingly took his eyes from her. He clapped Will on the shoulder and ran to leave. He left slowly, turning to have one last look at El before shutting the door behind him.

Will, Riley and El stood in silence, Will shuffling his feet, Riley’s gaze fixed on El.

“What happened to your hair?” The little girl suddenly asked.

Will winced. But before he could scold her, El began to laugh, bending down to eye level with her.

“My Papa made me cut it. I’m sure it looks quite bad.”

Riley smiled. “No. I think it’s pewtiful. I want short hair, but daddy says I can’t have a crazy haircut until I’m a tee-an-ger.”

El laughed even more. “Well I think you’re beautiful too. And you would be even more beautiful with short hair like mine.”

Will stared at the exchange in awe, baffled by how talkative Eleven had suddenly become. He hadn’t seen or spoken to her in ten years, but the change in her demeanor was jolting. She was still quiet, sure. And her posture remained within herself, like she was holding her entire being in a tiny box no one could penetrate. But she had a glow about her that hadn’t existed when they were young. She certainly spoke much more articulately. And her laugh was like a chorus. Something he hadn’t heard the two weeks they spent together, and for some reason something he had thought she wasn’t capable of expressing.

Thoughts were swirling in his head in fierce succession. What the hell had Mike been talking about? Why did he react to Eleven in that way? And how had she known about Riley? He was so confused, but could admit he was more intrigued than anything. She and Mike were almost equals in Will’s mind, both of them responsible for him even being home in the first place. To see them interact in such a way gave him a strange comfort.

“Riley…why don’t you go and find your coloring books in Johnathan’s room? You can use his desk to color Eleven a picture?” Riley smiled wide.

“Ok!” She screeched, bolting down the hall toward Johnathan’s old bedroom. Most of his childhood belongings remained in there, along with his bed. But the room had slowly started to accumulate various odds and ends, mostly a result of Joyce utilizing it as the closet she never had. A few toys for Riley were kept in there, Joyce buying a new one each time she went to the local consignment store. Before he had left for Chicago with Nancy earlier that summer, Johnathan had taught the little girl how to work the record player. Will took pride in the fact that Riley was probably the only four year old in all of Indiana who not only tolerated the Clash, but enjoyed them.

With the young girl out of sight, Will walked up to El and grabbed her hand carefully. He nodded toward the couch and she followed his lead. He waited for her to get settled and bring her eyes to meet his.

“I’m sorry.” She finally said, changing her gaze to the floor.

“Sorry? For what?”

“For hiding Mike from you.”

“Hiding Mike? Eleven, what do you mean by that?”

“I…I dream with Mike.” She said quietly, a whisp of a smile on her face.

“Ok…” Will trailed, trying to follow her logic. Slowly, the pieces came together. “Like you did when you helped me escape?”

El nodded.

“Ok…for how long?”

“Long.” She said, directing her gaze to her wringing hands.

“Since…this whole time?” He asked, trying his best to sound curious and not accusatory.

“No. I’m not sure how long exactly. Just…a long time. He’s helped me. Taught me things. He is my friend. I’m sorry, Will. You are my friend too.”

“I know that Eleven!” Will exclaimed, moving closer to grab her hands in his. “I know that.” She gripped his hand tighter. “Is he the only one you have visited?”

El shook her head. “Riley…but only once.”

Will leaned back, his mind racing. Eleven had never met Riley; granted she had never met Mike, really. It still amazed him the scope of Eleven's powers. She was a superhero in his eyes.

“I’m happy you found a friend in Mike. I’m happy that you had him.”

“Me too.” El smiled.

“You don’t need to apologize for that El. I just…I wish that Mike had said something to me. I would have wanted to know you were alright.”

“I asked him not to…I thought about coming to visit you too. But I didn’t want you to try to find me. I wanted you to forget about me.”

“I could never forget you. Why would I want to?”

“Because of Papa. You went home, I wanted you to be happy.”

“Eleven, you deserve to be happy too. I’m so glad that you’re safe. I can’t imagine how difficult your life has been…you’re very brave, you know.”

Tears pricked the corners of El’s eyes. “I’m not brave. I’m scared, Will. All of the time. I’m alone.”

Will let El fall into his arms, holding her tight as silent sobs wracked her body. He was suddenly back there, back in that room. Twelve years old and utterly horrified, unsure of what anything was or would be. Afraid to breathe, as each minute the world could come crashing down, gripping a sad, broken young girl as she allowed herself to fall apart.

 _“You’re not alone now_.” He had said; a young boy’s attempts to ease the terror of the situation they had been in.

He repeated himself now. “You’re not alone now, El. You haven’t been since the day I met you. I always hoped one day you would be found. You’ll never be alone again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this provides a little more context; I promise next chapter Mike and Eleven's connection will be detailed! 
> 
> Kudos make me happy :)


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